Outbreak
by A Blast of Fanfics
Summary: Frisk has wanted to bring back Asriel since they first met him. However, when they make an impossible decision, the code and story of Undertale is changed. Something is now spreading in the Underground, and it could determine the fate of humans and monsters. (Neutral and Pacifist story for the new Overgrown AU)
1. Your Fault

**A/N Hey! This is just a side project I decided to start (even though I have so many projects going on). I am planning on updating this every Sunday until I have no chapters to release. As of right now, I have a few, so strap yourselves for a new Undertale AU. A glitch, so to speak. A new tale to tell. Enjoy... :)**

 _One last hit_ , you thought. Your hand shook from the exertion. Blood ran down your forehead like tears from a cut caused by the monstrosity before you. No matter how many times you met this beast, it never ceased to surprise you. How could a single flower, evil but small, become a photoshop nightmare with powers that could kill you in an instant, if you weren't so resilient? The fallen humans from the past were now on your side. All you had to do was attack one last time. But it was hard, knowing that you were attacking him. Asriel. The Fallen Prince.

But if you finished this, you could do it. This had to be the route that allowed you to change the ending. Pacifism only lead to heartbreak. Genocide lead to apathy. In this ending, your feelings were so strong, so strong that maybe... MAYBE you could do an impossible action. Break the code and story that kept you from doing it.

Finally! An opening. Flowey had underestimated you and left a gap in his defenses. Without any hesitation, you jumped. Putting both hands around your rusty knife, you prepared to swing it. Flowey's monitor suddenly showed a look of fear as you slashed and cut his face.

That's it. That's all that was needed. He screamed in anger. You had heard it all before. You started lip syncing the words Flowey said. "This can't be happening! You...YOU!"

You didn't even act surprised when Flowey reloaded the SAVE File to be at full health. You didn't even flinch when he killed you mainy times. Sure. It hurt, but you learned that pain is just an illusion of the brain made to keep you alive. Since you were going to live anyways, you ignored it as best you could. Then, rainbow madness later and you were all alone. Alone with the flower that tried to kill you.

Weak. Pathetic. Pitiful. Two choices. MERCY. FIGHT. You had tried both. Neither had worked. Now, you fought against the code. You fought to move from your spot. Normally, the code would keep you standing where you were, but this time, you were in control. Not the code. Not the story. You walked towards the flower. He looked up in curiosity.

"What are you doing?" He asked. You took out your knife. He smirked. "I knew you had it in you!"

But you weren't going to attack him. Instead, you struck at your chest. Pain was just an illusion, and yet you yelled and pleaded for it to end. Then, by the end of it, you felt the pain recede and numbness return. Your soul was in your hands now, and Flowey seemed to look intrigued. You didn't even notice the red liquid that was everywhere. Instead, you offered it. You offered your soul to Flowey. He seemed to hesitate. After all, it could be a trick.

"Just take it," you said, your vision starting go dark. If he didn't take it then, the world would reset, and this whole thing would've been for naught.

A cruel grin appeared on his face as his eyes went black. More pain. Vines struck you everywhere, piercing you to death. Your vision started to darken faster. You watched as he took your soul in his vines. You could barely hear his voice when he spoke.

"Thanks for the gift."

Darkness. Your voice echoed. "No! No no no no no!" Not a reset!" Code appeared in front of your eyes.

 _True Reset Commencing..._

Suddenly, the code glitched. Everything changed as words appeared from another person. Gaster...

 **What have you done?**

 _True Reset Failed._

 _Reset Commencing..._

 _Reset failed..._

 _ **Error:**_ _Human Soul (Red).exe...Corrupted_

 _ **Error:** Chara .exe _ _...Corrupted_

 _ **Error:**_ _Player Control... Faulty_

 _ **Error:**_ _Flowey .exe_ _...Corrupted_

 _Solution found. Making changes._

 _Human Soul (White).exe...Installed_

 _Chara .exe...Altered_

 _Player Control...False_

 _Flowey .exe...Altered_

You lost control. You can no longer move. Only watch. The code disappears after showing one last line.

 **This is your fault.**

On your screen, a new title popped up. This is game is no longer Undertale.

 **OVERGROWN** : Press C to continue

You pressed C. A pop-up alert comes from your computer.

" **These files are corrupted** " it said on top. Underneath the title of the warning, it said, " **YOU DID THIS TO YOURSELF.** "

You realized what this meant. You and Frisk were no longer one person. You, the player, were now an observer. You were no longer in control. This was no longer your story. This was Frisk's. They would choose what to do. This was your fault. You did this.

Now, you had to watch as Frisk went through their journey in a totally new, corrupted world without you. You hoped they would do the right thing.


	2. The Final Base

Frisk woke up on a bed of golden flowers, as they did every time they reset. However, everything felt different this time. They felt different. It was a strange sensation they hadn't felt for a while. What was the word for it? That's it. They felt lonely. But that was odd, since they were always alone at this part of he journey. What had changed? Why did they feel lonely?

Maybe they could try and recall what happened last timeline. It usually was a bit fuzzy for a few minutes after the reset. Frisk sat up.

"Ouch!" They said loudly. Quickly, they out a hand to their head. Pain. It was always so dull before. Why did it seem worse now? Well, they were sometimes sore after a genocide timeline. Maybe a genocide timeline happened. Frisk sat in the flowers for a few minutes, massaging their head and trying to recall their past timeline. Why was it so fuzzy? Maybe if they walked to Flowey and Toriel, they would remember.

Without any further hesitation, the young human child picked up their stick and walked to the other end of the cavern. Frisk went down the corridor, readying themself to meet Flowey. However, when they reached the patch of grass where Flowey usually was, he was nowhere to be seen. There was only a sign.

Frisk looked around, puzzled. Maybe Flowey was trying to trick them. They stayed there for a while. They didn't dare read the sign, lest Flowey come out and kill them. When nothing happened, they tried taunting him. "I guess there's no one around here to teach me how things work around here," they hinted. Then, they sighed. "Alright. Where are you, Mr. Kill-Or-Be-Killed?! Aren't you going to teach an idiot?"

 _"You idiot!"_

 _"You idiot!"_

 _"You IDIOT!"_

Frisk cried out and held their head. The words echoed as familiar images flashed through their head as clear as daylight. Omega Flowey, bearing down on them. Frisk reaching out to the souls to save them. The souls answering. Flowey being defeated. The last image was of Frisk, looking down at the injured Flowey with a knife in their hand.

Then, the images ended. The last timeline was a neutral timeline, Frisk realized. But why did they reset after that? Usually, Frisk would return and do a Pacifist timeline. Why would they reset to the very beginning?

Puzzled, but now sure it was safe, Frisk approached the sign. The sign had beautiful, purple, cursive writing. They read it out loud.

"'Welcome to Phinalhaven.' That's some weird spelling..." Frisk mused with a smile. However, their smile disappeared as they heard a frog's croak. Frisk looked around the sign until they saw where it came from. There was a tiny Froggit underneath the sign. It waved with a friendly expression (which looked the same as any other expression a Froggit made).

"Ribbit! (Welcome, human!)" the tiny Froggit greeted, which Frisk successfully translated. "Ribbit! (Follow me to Phinalhaven!)"

"Alright. Lead the way," Frisk replied. The tiny Froggit hopped along, occasionally looking back to make sure Frisk was following. However, Frisk already knew this path. They had walked it many times. But this time, it felt different. There was something about it that felt different. Then, the changes became apparent once they reached the first puzzle, or rather the lack of reaching the first puzzle.

All the puzzles Frisk had known were gone. Some of the stone walls were broken down to make more room. Now, they knew why this place was named Phinalhaven, rather than the Ruins. This place was no longer the ruins of Home. This was a bustling town! The usual inhabitants of the Ruins weren't hiding like they did before. Froggits hopped along the main road, going into houses and shops. Grocery stores were run by Vegetoids. Whimsums flew above the bustling crowds into their nests.

However, as they got closer to the courtyard where Toriel's house usually was, the usual inhabitants of the Ruins were interspersed with new monsters. There were some familiar bunny monsters, a couple of snake monsters, a tiger monster or two, and seven duck monsters, who walked through the streets in an arrow shape. At the end of purple courtyard around the tree that only ever grew leaves to drop them was not Toriel's house, but a small castle made out of the old house.

The tiny Froggit jumped up the tree in the middle and stood atop it. Before Frisk could ask what he was doing, the Froggit croaked the loudest croak they had ever heard. "RIIIBBIIIT! (ATTENTION!)" The every monster in the courtyard paused as they stared at the Froggit. "Ribbit! Ribbit! (A human child has fallen down! Celebrate for our queen!)"

The courtyard was deadly silent as all eyes turned to Frisk. Feeling awkward, they waved slowly. "Uhmmm... hi?"

The entire courtyard erupted in cheers and applause. Monsters flocked around Frisk, shaking hands with them as if they were the chosen one. One of the tiger monsters picked them up and put them on their shoulders. Everyone cheered for them. Maybe Frisk could get used to this.

"What is happening?" A booming voice rang out suddenly, causing the celebration to pause. Frisk looked above their head to see a figure on a balcony connected to the castle. It was a commanding feminine voice which came from the stranger, who was clothed in purple from head to toe. Her form wasn't visible, however, from Frisk's vantage point, but they had an idea of who it was.

"A human, my queen!" The tiger monster answered joyfully, referring to Frisk. "A human child, at that!"

There was silence. Then, as suddenly as she appeared, the figure disappeared from the balcony. Within a minute or two, the door of the castles were opened by two Migosps. Out of the door came a familiar face. Frisk smiled lovingly from their vantage point. It was Toriel. However, Toriel was different in appearance. She wore purple robes with the Delta Rune that were much to long for her, and yet it draped regally around her form. On her head was a crown. What was off putting was how her right cheek was scarred and somewhat misshapen. It looked as though something had cut off part of it. However, she was still beautiful.

Her hands were to her mouth when she saw Frisk, tears welling up in her eyes. The crowd parted to make a path to the fallen human, bowing in reverence to their queen. The queen paid no attention to formalities and slowly walked towards Frisk. When she finally reached Frisk, the tiger monster let Frisk off of her shoulders and bowed. Toriel kneeled down to see eye-to-eye with Frisk, tears spilling from her eyes as she smiled.

"What a poor innocent youth," she said softly, before taking Frisk's hand. "Are you okay, my child?"

"I am fine, thank you," Frisk replied, somewhat surprised to find it relieving to know someone cared to ask how they felt.

Toriel's smile grew bigger. "What a polite child, too. What is your name?"

"My name is Frisk."

"Frisk... What a wonderful name. My name is Toriel. I am the caretaker of the Ruins, and queen of Phinalhaven," Toriel introduced herself. "Why don't I take you inside, where it's warmer. Then, I can make you some nice hot chocolate and some butterscotch-cinnamon pie. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great, Toriel," Frisk replied. Toriel gave a motherly smile before standing up to her full height. Then, she took Frisk's hand and led them towards the entrance into the castle. The crowd started to cheer as she finally ordered the Migosps to close the door.

"Sorry if those monsters intimidated you, Frisk. Sometimes we forget that humans don't see monsters anymore," she apologized once she was in the castle and walked Frisk to the living room.

"It's okay. They seemed more friendly than threatening," they admitted with a smirk.

"Well, we do pride ourselves on being welcoming of all who fall down here," Toriel answered with a happy smile. They were now in the kitchen, where a table awaited them. She motioned towards one of the chairs. "Please, sit down. You must be walking too much. You must rest."

Frisk grinned as they sat down in the chair. They watched as Toriel went into the kitchen to fix up the hot chocolate and make butterscotch-cinnamon pie. Her voice was still able to be heard from the table.

"Yes. Those monsters are just excited is all. We haven't had a human fall down in a long while."

Promptly, she brought in the hot chocolate, along with a cult of tea for herself. They then sat across from each other. Frisk drank the hot chocolate and found it was the best they ever had. It was as if Toriel had melted a chocolate bar and made the drink that way. Toriel smiled brightly. Clearly, meeting Frisk had made her day.

"I would've thought this cave would be bigger," Frisk said, hinting at the idea that there might be a bigger Underground than what they were seeing. Toriel's face seemed to dim a bit as her smile became a bit sadder.

"There were many more of us, my child. More monsters, more space. Then, most of the cave collapsed. We are those who survived," Toriel answered. However, Frisk sensed an uneasiness. They could tell when Toriel lied. Her eyes would get all shifty. However, Frisk didn't want to press the matter. It only lead to heartache. They would press on if they grew restless. Right now, they felt content. Toriel's bright smile returned and there was a flicker of recognition in her gaze as well.

"What's up, Toriel?" Frisk asked.

"I don't know, my child. It just feels like... I've known you for a long long time. It's like looking into the eyes of a friend," she replied, before letting out a tiny laugh. "Strange, isn't it?! I've barely known you and you already fit right in."

"That's good, isn't it? It's good for a mother to be comfortable with their child."

Her expression changed to one of pleasant surprised. "You want me... to be your mother?"

Frisk blushed a bit. "I've never really had one in the past. If you don't want to be my mother, I understand and-"

"No no! That's not what I meant, Frisk! I just... It's just..." Toriel paused for a second as she collected her thoughts. Then, with a deep breath, she finally spoke with a more calm but happy tone. "I haven't been a mother for so long. Phinalhaven is supposed to be a safe haven for humans and monsters alike. I guess it makes sense for the queen to be a mother to a human. Are you sure it isn't just because I am a queen?"

They grinned. "Even if you weren't, I would still be your child."

Toriel wiped her eyes, for fear of shedding a tear. "You're too sweet, my child. I'm afraid my soul would explode if you say anything like that again."

"Well, I guess I'll stop saying anything then, because you're the best mom I've ever had!" The two of them smiled at each other for a while. Then, Toriel seemed to remember something. She got out of her seat and went beside Frisk.

"I've got to show you something," she simply said. Without hesitation, Frisk followed Toriel as she walked through the castle. The castle was actually a fairly nice sized castle. Migosps and Froggits occasionally passed them in the few foyers and corridors there were. Then, Toriel climbed up a spiral staircase, leading up to a second floor. This floor was barren, with only a single corridor and many room connected to it. She stopped before holding her hand out for Frisk to take. When they accepted, the two of them sauntered down the hall before reaching a door.

"Ta-da! A bedroom just for you," Toriel cheered happily.

"All for me?" Frisk replied, knowing that this was true already. "You shouldn't have."

"My child, as your mother, I think the least I can do is give you hot chocolate, butterscotch-cinnamon pie, and a warm room with a comfy bed in it," Toriel reasoned. She gave Frisk a bear hug before allowing them to go into their room, watching from behind.

Frisk was genuinely surprised by what they saw. The room was huge. Toys scattered the ground, as if some kid would come at anytime and play with them. A giant wardrobe sat right beside a red full-sized bed. Curtains were able to be pulled around it to give Frisk privacy while sleeping. There was no balcony, but there was a giant window that almost went from floor to ceiling and showed the courtyard. Laid on the bed was a purple pajama set, as if it were waiting for Frisk to come.

Toriel wrapped her arm around Frisk. "Well, my child? What do you think?"

"It's... amazing..." Frisk replied in hushed amazement.

"I thought you might like it," she responded excitedly. "I'll let you settle into your room while I get out the pie from the oven."

Toriel left the room and closed the door behind her, leaving Frisk alone with their thoughts. They stood their for a while, pondering what all of these changes meant. Why was Toriel a queen of many subjects? Where was Flowey? Where was Asgore? Why did she lie about the cave collapse? Oh, how Frisk wished they remembered their past timeline. Only flashes went by. Somehow, they knew this was all their fault. It seemed to be ingrained in their very body that these changes were because of them. But it didn't seem bad. They were very willing to take RESPONSIBILITY for their actions. They flopped onto their bed and stared at the ceiling.

 _*You are content in this new timeline you have created._

 _*You are filled with RESPONSIBILITY!_

 _*File Saved_


	3. Howling in the Night

Frisk was in a garden of golden flowers. They stood among them and loved each one of them. They named each one. That one was Toriel. Those two that were next to each other were Sans and Papyrus. There was Alphys, shying away from Undyne. And there was Asgore.

That's when they realized one flower was missing. Asriel. Where was that darn flower? In its place was a weed. A stupid weed. However, they knew better. This weed was Asriel. They need to save him. Frisk went up to the flower and touched its leaf. They recoiled in pain. Those leaves were pointy and they had just cut themselves. A tiny drop of blood landed on the flower.

As Frisk put their finger in their mouth to stop the bleeding, they noticed the weed change. At first, it sprouted a stem with a golden bud at the end. However, the golden bud and its green leaves became red as its vines grew out like tendrils. Frisk stood up and watched in horror as it went straight towards their favorite flowers.

"No no!" They shouted as its vines wrapped around the golden flowers. Some were wrapped around so much that they seemed to choke. These flowers lost their golden sheen as their petals turned a blood red. Others were subtly wrapped around. Their petals only subtly turned red, but it was still there. The corruption was still there.

"Don't do this! Please!" Frisk pleaded with the weed. The weed seemed to laugh as it started to come after them. Frisk ran from the vines until they jumped over a fence. The weed stopped and, for some reason, couldn't go any farther. Frisk rested against the fence, panting. Then, they noticed a single golden flower. It was uncorrupted. All around this single golden flower was many different kinds of flowers. Lilies and roses surrounded it, but didn't overtake it. None of these flowers were corrupted. They survived.

Then, the weed howled from beyond the fence.

Frisk woke with a start, hoping the howling would stop. They panted heavily before looking around their room. They had fallen asleep at some point. A piece of pie was placed on a bedside table with a note from Toriel. Frisk picked up the note and read it.

 _Dear Frisk,_

 _I brought you this piece of pie but you were fast asleep. I couldn't bring myself to wake you up after all you've been through. Besides, it was pretty close to nighttime anyways. If you wake up before morning, have some delicious pie and get into your pajamas, so that I may wash your clothes. They are covered in dirt, and I want you to have nice clean clothes._

 _Love you to the moon and back._

 _XOXO_

 _Mom (AKA Toriel)_

Frisk smiled at the note. Before they did anything, they took off their dirty clothes and put on the fresh pajamas on. At first, the pajamas were too big for them, but then, some magic aura came off of the pajamas for a bit and soon, the pajamas were just the right size they wanted. Sitting on their bed, they took the pie and took a bite.

That's when they heard a howl. Frisk paused and put their pie back on their bedside table. The howl echoed through the castle again. It sounded so similar to the howl in their dream that, finally, Frisk thought back on their dream. Clearly, there was some meaning behind it. Corruption. Corruption from something they had done in order to bring back Asriel. But what did they do?

Suddenly, a thought occurred to them. They hadn't seen their soul ever since the time before the reset. Maybe it was just an irrational fear, but Frisk just felt like something was wrong. Closing their eyes, they put out their hand and focused to bring their soul right before them. When they opened up their eyes, they let out a tiny gasp. Their soul was no longer red. It was now white. Frisk shook their head. What had happened? Where was their original soul?

Then, another howl rang out. There was no time to complain about their soul. Maybe their soul was different, but right now, howls were more disconcerting than their change of soul and soul color. Keeping their piece of pie on the bed table, they took their dirty clothes and went out of their room to find the source of the howling.

After going downstairs, the castle was like a candlelit labyrinth. How quick they forgot their way through the castle. There were barely any servants at this time of night, which was both a blessing and a curse. Occasionally, a howl would resound and Frisk would get closer to their destination. It was almost a relief when they found themselves in the familiar hallway that lead to the living room and kitchen. That's when they heard talking in the living room.

Cautious because they didn't want Toriel to know they were up, they peeked around the corner and took notes in their head what they saw. Toriel sat in her chair, rocking silently. A fire burned in the hearth, lighting up her scarred face. However, not only did she seem to be stoically listening to the howls, but she also held a spear in one of her hands. Looking at her and hearth was a familiar dog. He was one of the married dogs. Dogamy, if Frisk remembered correctly. Unfortunately, he looked worse for the ware.

The black cloak he usually wore was tattered, full of rips and tears from claws. His ears were partially bitten and his entire body looked scratched and beat up. Most notably of all was the fact that one of his eyes was covered with a black eyepatch. With scars from what seemed to be claws peeking out from behind the eyepatch, Frisk knew how this came to be. However, the one eye that did show was full of pity and the love of a dog. He looked at the queen as she listened to the howls.

"Dogs," Toriel murmured in a hushed, yet serious voice. "They can smell them."

"A newly fallen down human always smells like a human for a few days. After a while, they'll go back to their den," Dogamy replied, though he seemed to shake and cringe when talking about the dogs.

"They'll do anything to get them," she continued, finally looking to Dogamy. "They'll break down the rubble wall if they have to."

"My queen, will you stand vigil all night?" He asked politely.

"If I have to. Did you tell them to put up a more powerful barrier?"

"As usual, my queen," Dogamy replied. "Rabid or not, those dogs can't reach them."

"Then we are still quarantined. Frisk is safe. Everything is fine," the queen reassured herself as she tried to relax in her chair. However, she couldn't bring herself to drop her spear. "I just can't help but wonder if I'll lose another one."

Dogamy let out a whine accidentally, before looking up. "I'm sorry, my queen. I understand if you want your privacy. Besides, why would you want me to be around?"

"You have been by my side for centuries, Dogamy. You have proven you are trustworthy and genuinely sorry. Why would I push you away?" Toriel asked, sadly. "I just don't want more to find themselves in the same position that you are in."

"I could do it, you know. I could cross the barrier and-"

"It would not be wise," their mom responded. "Breaking the barrier would only lead to war, death, and destruction. If the humans were so kind long ago, I doubt the humans would feel so generous when they are slaughtered by them. It is better to be quarantined with them then to be killed."

"Yes, Toriel," Dogamy replied, lowering his head.

"If you don't mind, General, I will go to sleep. If any dogs sound as though they have broken in... you know what to do," Toriel ordered as she placed her spear across her lap and closed her eyes. Dogamy merely nodded in reply as he, too, started to listen to the howling. Frisk didn't dare assume what they were talking about, but they assumed it wasn't good. Something was wrong here. Frisk could've turned back, but they decided to continue. Besides, you couldn't spell Frisk without risk.

Listening to the howls, they continued down the hallway, trying not to make a suspicious sound that would alarm Dogamy. As they reached the end of the corridor, steps led down to the basement. Without any hesitation, they took steps down those stairs and walked through the passages in the basement. That's when they reached the end. The howling had stopped when they approached the end. It was the usual doorway out of the Ruins, but it was blocked by giant rocks and debris. If it weren't for the fact that there were clearly something or someone on the other side, Frisk would've believed the cave collapsed.

They put a hand on the collapsed rubble and out their head against the rock. Frisk listened carefully. Sniffing. Something or someone was sniffing the rocks on the other side. The dogs, no doubt. Suddenly, a ferocious bark sounded as the thing on the other side scratched at the rocks with renewed vigor. Frisk jumped and took a step back as howling and snarling came from the rocks, which glowed with runes that made a magical barrier against the beast. They tried to calm down, but the fact was, the snarling and barking shook them to the core. Putting a hand over their heart in order to try and calm it, they quickly, but quietly, ran out of the basement into the main corridor.

They passed by the living room before the paused to look in once more. Toriel was fast asleep with Dogamy keeping silent vigil, keeping his eyes closed, but continuously shifting his ears. Then, he sniffed and turned towards Frisk. Knowing better than to try and hide from a dog, they came out from the shadows, trying to act as though they just came out of their room.

"What are you doing up, human? You're supposed to be in bed," Dogamy asked, still listening carefully to the howling.

"I woke up and thought it was rude of me to go to sleep without saying good night to Mom," Frisk replied sweetly.

Toriel woke up right then and smiled at Frisk. Maybe she was half asleep and heard the whole thing. "Don't worry, my child. I don't mind."

"I guess I also came to give you my dirty clothes, since you wanted them," Frisk added, putting the dirty clothes on the ground before standing up and looking at Toriel. "I also was a bit startled by the howling."

Toriel gave a concerned glance towards the direction the howls were coming from, before looking at Frisk. "Those howls are just the wind coming through the collapsed caves."

"I know. I just..." Frisk thought for a while. They felt strangely vulnerable. They felt alone at the beginning, and now, like a younger child, they wanted to be with their mom. "Can I sleep on your lap?"

Toriel gave a surprised look, before smiling. She nodded as she stretched her arms out to hug her child close. Frisk sat on Toriel's lap, resting on their head against her body. She never dared to let go of Frisk, nor did she smother them with a hug. They simply kept each other company.

Their mother hummed a sad lullaby to them. Frisk recognized it immediately. It was his theme. It was Asriel's theme. Still, she hummed it to them softly as she rocked them both. The howls were drowned out by her entrancing voice. The fire crackled in the fireplace.

When Frisk was half-asleep, Toriel whispered to them softly. Maybe she didn't know they could hear her. Maybe she did. No matter what it was, she did whisper anyways.

"Oh, Frisk," she started quietly. "I have so much I want to show you. I have so much to teach you. I could show you the town. I could teach you everything I know. I could show you how to bake. I could read you my favorite books."

"You could teach me about the Surface. We could sing Surface songs together. We'll garden together. We'll tell each other jokes. I will teach you so many things. We are a family now, and I am grateful for that. I'm grateful that I have you."

Frisk smiled at the thought. Maybe, just this once, they could stay here for a while.


	4. Revelations

Toriel hummed quietly as she sat upon a bed of golden flowers. Her hands moved with fervor and great dexterity. With her left hand, she plucked a golden flower by the stem and wove it with the others she held in her hands. She paused her humming and looked up.

Frisk was next to Dogamy, with a bow in their hands. Dogamy instructed the human child carefully as they tried to aim at the makeshift target at the other end of the chamber. "Now, careful, Frisk. Pull the bowstring back to your cheek and hold it there, just like I taught you last time."

"Right," they replied as they held the string next to their cheek as long as they could. Then, as if by second nature, they let go of the bowstring, causing the arrow to fly. The arrow flew straight and true and hit a bullseye, next to the many other arrows that hit their target as well. They turned to Dogamy with a proud smile.

"Good job!" Dogamy congratulated. "You're becoming real good at hitting your target."

"Thanks. You taught me everything I know," Frisk replied, blushing at all the praise.

Frisk certainly looked different now than they did when they fell a month ago. Their hair was cut so that it was so short, it could only hit the top of their ear. Their clothing consisted of a white and gold striped sweater. A green cloak was put over the sweater when they weren't at home. They still wore their black leggings, but they were cleaner than they ever were.

"Frisk! Do you have a moment?" Toriel called out.

"You better go to your mom," Dogamy urged. Frisk nodded as they went over to their mom. When they got to the flowers, they kneeled in them, getting seeds on their pants and shoes.

"What is it, Mom?" Frisk asked politely.

"Close your eyes," Toriel ordered politely and playfully. They smiled as they closed their eyes. Then, Frisk felt Toriel put something on their head. It was light and soft. "Alright. Open your eyes, Love."

When Frisk looked up, they saw golden flowers on top of their head. To be more specific, a crown of golden flowers. Toriel beamed when Frisk's smile grew. "I know it isn't a crown of pure gold, but it is golden," Toriel explained.

"I love it, Mother," Frisk replied.

"You are very much like these flowers," Toriel mused with a smile as she brushed Frisk's hair. "It was once said that golden flower petals were the only gold anyone needed. They bring hope to all who see them. They are a symbol of life, rebirth, and renewal, because they always come back after the cruel winter the fastest. It was also said that to brew golden flowers into a tea makes a drink that is sweeter than honey and can heal the hurt and revive the dead. At one point, golden flower seeds were mixed with the dust of monsters, so they could come back and revive others."

Frisk blushed profusely and became sheepish. "You see all those traits in me?"

"All those and more. A mother always knows," she replied with a playful smile.

Then, they came close and hugged Toriel. Neither one of them wanted to let go. As they held each other in their arms. It felt like heaven to always have someone to hug them. They felt loved.

Suddenly, a single howl rang out. Toriel's eyes opened wide. Frisk let go and sat in their mother's lap. Their mother eyes Dogamy before speaking. "Can you check that?"

"Yes, my queen," he responded, quickly running towards the castle. Once he was out of sight, Toriel sighed sadly and looked down at the ground in front of her. Frisk couldn't bear it any longer. They wanted to know what that noise was. The howling may have died down after a few days, but that couldn't be the wind, could it?

"Mom, what's that howling?" Frisk asked in an innocent voice.

She sighed. "There's so much I wish wasn't true, my child. So much I wish I didn't have to tell you. I knew this day would come when you would ask questions. I just wished this day didn't have to happen."

"What's wrong out there? There wasn't a cave collapse, was there?" they replied with a concerned yet curious expression.

"Yes and no," Toriel answered, before frowning. "Come close, my child, and I will tell you."

Frisk sat on Toriel's lap. The monster queen held them close in her arms as she seemed to struggle to think of where to start. "Frisk, tell me the truth. You have met me before all of this, haven't you?"

They were speechless for a while. No monster could remember Frisk after a reset, and here Toriel was, asking if they had met before. They struggled to find the right words. Luckily, Toriel seemed to understand the stunned silence.

"I had these dreams of another world where everything is the same yet different. I am there and you know everyone in the Underground," Toriel explained. "I'll admit it first: That world is better than ours."

"That's not possible! With everything that happened, I never got the chance to spend time with you, Mom! Now, I know a lot about you and you are the best mom ever!" Frisk argued. Toriel smiled.

"It's not fair, making an old lady feel better," she replied with a sad smile. "But you don't know what makes this world bad."

"Long ago, Frisk, this world was perfect. It was full of hopes and dreams, love and happiness. Then, something happened."

"What happened, Toriel?"

"A plague. Sickness. Whatever you want to call it. We came to call it corruption. There was one monster who was infected with corruption first. It corrupted him. It made him different from his former self. He became a carrier. Soon, other monsters became infected. It was like a disease, but it wasn't. We tried every cure we could think of. Nothing worked."

"Eventually, I realized I had to leave. I took every monster I could find. We rushed towards the safety of the Ruins. Dogs and other monsters chased us. I was the last one through. I made the entrance collapse. I quarantined the rest of the Underground. Then, each day, with our magic, we created a monster barrier to keep out every monster from coming in, even if they tried by magical means."

"We have been trapped here for hundreds of year, my child," Toriel said sadly. "The Underground is lost. Humans will rule forever, as long as I am still breathing."

"But why are they always at our door?" Frisk asked, thinking now was better than ever to get answers.

"These monsters are trying to get the only cure they have been told will work. A human soul. Those dogs can smell you miles away. Oh Frisk, if only they knew the truth. Every monster is cruel out there because they think they know the way to be cured."

"Do you know the cure?" Frisk asked, looking at Toriel.

 _He was coming for them._

 _Toriel's hand shook from the shock. She looked behind her to find Asgore following. He held his trident in his hands. She waited until he came to her. However, before they could speak a word, a malevolent laugh came from behind them._

 _"Quickly!" Toriel ordered as she ran through the living room of their house. Without checking to see if Asgore followed behind, she ran down the stairs to the basement. That was the way to escape. Her soul pounded as she ran to the garden. Husband and wife ran for their lives past beautiful, scenic pathways and halls. Now, they were in the castle. They both fled to the garden, only to stop. A tree with no leaves blocked their path._

 _Asgore turned back towards the way they came. He readied himself to fight, but Toriel saw a different solution. Upon looking back, she realized it was the cure. She just had to-_

 _Suddenly, a flash of light, pain, and then darkness._

"I believe I do, my child. And if I could cure them, I would," she replied, regretfully. "Unfortunately, the Underground is big, as you should know, and monsters like me would be corrupted. Besides, a monster can't cure them."

"I could cure them, Toriel," Frisk offered, causing Toriel to look at them worriedly. "I'm a human. Corruption only affects monsters, you said. Monsters can't cure those corrupted. I'm not a monster."

"But you're just a child!" their mother protested. "I can't ask that of you, especially since I can't go with you!"

"It'll stop the corruption, Mom," Frisk tried to reason. However, Toriel was just as stubborn.

"You can't! They'll try to stop you. Kill you. Murder you..." she looked down at her lap, unhappily. It was no surprise that Toriel had previous humans fall. Unfortunately, they were all children she knew personally. Just like Frisk. It hurt Frisk. They were asking her to risk her child's life for a cure. "I can't lose another child."

"Sometimes, in order to save someone, there are sacrifices you have to make," Frisk replied, before kissing their mother's forehead.

Tears started to bead at the edges of Toriel's eyes. Then, as if it were the only way to hold onto reality, she grabbed her child and brought them close. Despite the smothering, Frisk didn't protest as they listened to their mother. "They don't deserve you. None of us deserve you, my child. My golden flower."

"I've come back. Now I need to heal the others," Frisk replied, referring to the legends of the golden flowers. They pulled away and looked their mother right in the eyes. "Let me cure them, mother. I promise I will come back."

Toriel wiped the tears out of her eyes with bittersweet smile. "My sweet child. I wish I could keep you forever, but I have to let you go," she mused. "Alright. You may go when you are willing."

"I will leave tomorrow," Frisk whispered softly. Toriel simply nodded.

"I will do anything in my power to help you keep your promise, Frisk," Toriel replied. "Even though I can't be with you, I will sway everything in your favor."

"My queen," Dogamy greeted once he returned. He bowed before speaking again. "It was a false alarm. They can't get past the barrier."

"Dogamy," Toriel suddenly said in a commanding manner. Her stare was serious. It was almost glaring or scolding. He straightened his posture upon noticing how serious his queen was now. Toriel stood up. "You have proven yourself well. I must ask you a favor."

"What favor, my queen?" He asked, knowing fully well that to refuse would mean facing the wrath of a mother.

"Frisk will be leaving Phinalhaven tomorrow. You will go with them and keep them safe, understood?"

Dogamy went from Toriel's gaze to the human child beside her feet. His eyes were full of kindness, but also guilt. He love Frisk too from the month they had spent together, but there was something else. Frisk didn't want to intrude, but they were intrigued. In order to relieve his anxiety, the human child smiled kindly. Dogamy nodded softly after seeing it and then answered.

"Yes. I will do it," he replied. Toriel gave a sad yet reassuring smile.

"Go. Get ready, Dogamy. You two have a long journey in the morning," Toriel said. Dogamy left to go towards the castle yet again. Frisk followed him a little ways before Toriel grabbed their arm and pulled them close.

"Remember to say goodbye before you leave," she reminded through the sobs.

"I promise."


	5. The Second-To-Last Goodbye

It was ridiculously early in the morning. Frisk couldn't sleep, to put it simply. They yearned to see their old friends, despite the corruption. They packed up most of their things in a green backpack. Extra clothes were in there, along with books and toys that would remind them of Toriel. Remind them of their promise. They were close to finishing packing when there was a knock on the door. When Frisk let them in, it was Toriel with a box in her hands. She entered the room silently before closing the door.

"Mom! I hope I didn't wake you," Frisk apologized sheepishly.

"I couldn't go to sleep either, Frisk, so no need to apologize," Toriel explained with a smile. "I just have some things I wanted to give to you."

She sat on Frisk's bed. Frisk sat beside her, laying their head next to her arm. Toriel kissed them on the head before opening the box and taking out the first item. It was the golden flower crown she had made the day before. They stared at it in curiosity before Toriel explained.

"I made this for you, my child. I decided to enchant it so that it will help you," she said. Frisk smiled. Yes, they remembered that monsters could enchant objects. It was a day when they played with their toys in their room. They had spun a top and found that it didn't stop spinning until Frisk touched it. Upon asking Toriel, she said it was imbued with monster magic, allowing it to spin forever, if the owner wanted it to.

Frisk put the flower crown on their head. They didn't feel any different, but they didn't expect to. They let out a giggle. They thought they looked cute. Toriel smiled back, tears swimming in her eyes. She put her hand on Frisk's cheek as they moved their head into her hand. Then, gently, Toriel brought their head to her and kissed their forehead.

"I also brought you this," Toriel said, before taking out a bow out of the box. It was a beautifully carved recurve bow. It showed images of the Delta Rune, along with golden flowers. It seemed to not even be used. Along with it, Toriel took out a quiver of arrows, all of which having been carved with runes. "These arrows will help you cure the sickness. You will know when to use them when you see the epicenter."

Frisk took the quiver and bow. With them, they slung them across their back so that arrows and a bow were always at hand.

Toriel took out the last thing in the box and held it carefully in her hand, as if any sudden movement would awaken a sleeping baby. Before Frisk could see it, their mother put it around their neck and then admired it. When they looked down, it was the heart-shaped locket. More specifically, it was either Asriel's or Chara's.

"If you ever wish to come home, open it," Toriel explained sadly. "I will tell you what to do from there. Keep it with you."

Frisk held the locket in their grasp before asking a question. "Is Asriel alive?" They asked suddenly. Toriel looked shocked before remembering Frisk had seen this world before in past timelines. She looked down at her feet.

"Sometimes questions are better left unanswered," she merely stated.

Frisk frowned unhappily. Why did that hurt so much?

Toriel tried to stem tears as she spoke her mind. "So many humans have gone missing trying to cure the corruption. I could've stopped them it I-"

She stopped, closing her eyes before smiling. "You'll come back. I believe that. How could something I'm certain about be wrong?"

Frisk smiled and hugged their mom. "I promise, Mom. I will come back."

"Frisk, I need you to know this, since it could mean your life," Toriel replied, pulling Frisk tight so that she could whisper into their ear. "There will be allies on the other side, but do not trust them. Just because they promise they will help doesn't mean they aren't corrupted.

"They might lose their mind. They might try to kill you. Don't let your guard down, even around the Resistance."

"There's a resistance?" Frisk asked. However, this question went unanswered as Toriel continued.

"Don't trust the king, either. No matter how he seems, do not trust him, but do not harm him either," she ordered.

"Got it," they noted.

"Trust Dogamy only. He will know what to do. Finally, don't mention you met me. The Resistance views me as a traitor. They won't protect you if you mention me. Goodness knows they didn't protect the others."

"Be smart. Make me proud," Toriel finally finished with a smile. She pulled away from Frisk. "I better let you finish packing. You have a long and rigorous road ahead of you."

Before Toriel closed the door, she turned to Frisk and wiped tears out of her eyes. "Try to get some sleep, if you can. You won't have much outside."

Frisk did try when their packing was finished, but their eyes kept watering with the thought she would leave Toriel. Again. Before, they didn't care.

Now, it hurt to be sent off by their mom, with no guarantee of returning.


	6. The Chase

Toriel was a statue, unmoving in expression as she stood in that hall beside the rubble that blocked the exit of the Ruins. The monster-made barrier glowed and shimmered with runes. She listened carefully, hoping nothing was on the other side. When she heard two pairs of footsteps, she turned to see Dogamy and Frisk, prepared to make the journey with a backpack on Dogamy's back and a bow and quiver full of arrows on Frisk's.

Toriel bowed her head a bit. Frisk and Dogamy followed suit, to Toriel's surprise. "General, there is no one here, but I cannot guarantee you won't have to run," she instructed numbly.

"I know the way to the Resistance hideout. It isn't far, but the dogs can easily catch up if we don't hurry. The only thing I worry about is Blue Eye," Dogamy admitted, tail literally between his legs.

"You will make it as long as I am the Queen," Toriel said firmly, looking directly at Frisk, who wore everything she had given them.

"In order to keep the dogs off our path for enough time, we have to cover up your scent," Dogamy told Frisk with an unsure expression. Luckily, Toriel knew how to mask their scent.

"Frisk, be a dear and roll around in the dirt for me."

Frisk didn't dare disobey, for doing so could mean their life. By the end of it, they were covered with the dirt of Phinalhaven. Dogamy sniffed them all over, trying to make sure it was masked enough. Then, he nodded.

"It'll work for a while," was all he could say.

"Is there any other suggestions, General?" Toriel responded with a warning voice. Immediately, Dogamy bowed in submission.

"I did not mean to offend. I merely mean that the exertion of the run will not only cause the dirt to come off, but it will also cause the human to sweat. Determination is easy to smell."

Toriel sighed in defeat. "Well, it'll get you a head start in order to reach the Resistance headquarters."

She turned to Frisk with a kind smile as she knelt in front of them. "I know I have said it many times, but I want you to know I love you," Toriel said, causing Frisk's heart to melt.

"I love you too, Mom," Frisk replied, hugging Toriel around the neck. They embraced for a long while before Toriel pulled away. She stood to her full height and looked at the barrier.

"Get ready, Dogamy," she instructed.

"I've got an idea, kid," Dogamy told Frisk. They watched as he went onto all fours. "Get on my back. I can run pretty fast on all fours."

They nodded as they carefully sat on his back. However, it seemed Dogamy was able to carry them with easy as he readied himself for the run. Toriel held her right hand out, with her left hand holding a flame and her spear by her side. Every precaution was taken. Now, she was ready.

It all happened so suddenly that it took minutes for Frisk to realize what happened. First, Toriel dispelled the barrier with a snap of her fingers. In that same motion, she threw her flame at the stones blocking the exit. The boulders were blasted far away.

"Go! GO!" Toriel shouted.

Dogamy didn't need any further prompting. He loped like a wolf, his breathing becoming more husky. It seemed like he had tapped into his predatory side as he used every bit of his strength for the run. Frisk could only get quick glances of their surroundings.

They were in the snowy forest outside Snowdin. However, everything seemed much darker. The shadows crept up on the path like separate entities. As the dog ran, they could've sworn they saw a blue eye amongst the trees, shining. It shook them to their core. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the last time they shook.

A shrill howl pierced the ominous silence, causing Dogamy to cuss under his breath. "Damn!" He said through his panting. "They're coming."

Suddenly, howls filled the air as they came closer, answering the first call. Within thirty seconds, Frisk heard panting that didn't come from Dogamy and angry barks that came from the forest. Dashing over the bridge where Papyrus' gate would've been and running past the area where Sans' checkpoint would've been, instead of following the road, he ran into the thick forest.

"Keep your head down," he ordered between ragged breaths. Frisk put their head against his neck, listening to each pant and feeling his shoulder blades got up and down like an engine. They panted too, but in fear, before gasping when they saw yellow eyes watching them through the trees.

"What's coming after us?" They asked, trying to whisper.

The words Dogamy were also hushed when howls and barks started coming from all directions.

"Rabid dogs."

Suddenly, coming out from the trees, a dog leaped at Dogamy, snarling viciously as it tried to grab his tail. Frisk's escort was quick-witted, though, and pulled his tail out of the bite radius. Now, a dog was chasing after them. Frisk disobeyed Dogamy's orders and looked behind. They gasped. It was Doggo, loping on all fours with his teeth bared, foaming at the mouth and his eyes blazing a primal yellow. His clothing was more maimed than usual and he had a scar across his muzzle in the shape of claws.

Doggo barked loudly with nothing but madness in his eyes. Then, two other dogs came by his side, running on all fours. The first was Lesser Dog, who also foamed at the mouth and constantly bared his teeth. His kind and cute demeanor was replaced with primal instinct and he no longer hand any armor on his body. His tail was but a stub, now, and his ears were bitten. The other dog was Greater Dog, who was a small fluffy dog with no armor on, but a crazed look in his eyes and a couple of scratch scars across his body.

Frisk let out a whimper upon seeing her old friends turned to maniacal beasts. "Put your head down, kid!" Dogamy yelled. This time, it was desperate, yes, but there was also a hint of pity and care in his voice. He didn't want them to see this. "Don't look. We'll make it."

However, Frisk refused. They were filled with RESPONSIBILITY! Sitting up and looking behind, they took off their bow and placed an arrow on the string. Pulling it back, they knew where they wanted to arrow to go. They aimed it at the dogs. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to heed the warning. They were too rabid. Tears entered their vision as they got ready. Please don't miss. They loosed their arrow.

The arrow didn't miss its mark. It hit the ground directly in front of Lesser Dog just in time, causing the dog to trip and fall to the ground. By the time he had gotten up and shaken off the snow, they were far ahead. What Frisk found odd was how Lesser Dog seemed to have given up the chase for some reason. However, they didn't dwell on it, since two more dogs were chasing them.

Quickly, they aimed again and shot again, causing Greater Dog to do the same thing. Upon seeing this, Doggo seemed to become more desperate as he began to gain ground. When they tried the same technique, it seemed Doggo was ready, and he went around the arrow, leaving it planted in the snow. Frisk tried again, more desperately this time.

It missed its mark. However, Frisk wasn't dwelling on their miss. They were dwelling on the fact that they thought they heard a howl and bark. Suddenly, they realized one dog was unaccounted for. Out of nowhere, Dogaressa, the final dog, leaped from the forest and grabbed Frisk by the green cloak, pulling them off Dogamy's back.

Disoriented, Frisk reached for their bow, only to have a paw push their arm to the ground. Dogaressa bared her teeth angrily, her face scarred by a bite mark across her muzzle. Through her growls, Frisk was able to actually hear words.

" **Finally...** " Dogaressa growled as her muzzle came close to Frisk's face. " **A human soul.** "

With their other hand, Frisk punched Dogaressa on her left cheek. However, rather than allowing them to go free, it only made Dogaressa more angry as Doggo came up behind her.

 **"Grrrr... You're lucky the King wants you, otherwise I would tear you to bloody pieces,** " she said with a snarl, causing Frisk to whimper.

" **Actually, what's stopping me from doing that? All the King needs is your soul,** " Dogaressa concluded with the rabid equivalent of a smile. Doggo let out a snarl-laugh.

Frisk let out a shout as Dogaressa's maw came close to their face.


	7. A Friend

" **Let them go.** " A growl resounded behind Dogaressa. Her ears twitched as she turned around, her teeth bared. Doggo did the same thing. Frisk let in a breath of cold, fresh air as they looked at the one who spoke.

It was Dogamy. He towered above the dogs, who were on all fours. He held an axe in his paws and he let out warning snarls. However, unlike the dogs, his eyes were still human-like. He still had compassion. He was just fighting for Frisk. In a way, it made Frisk feel loved. On the other hand, Dogamy was outnumbered two to one and more could be on his way.

" **Dogamy. You traitor!** " Dogaressa lashed out as she took slow steps toward Dogamy. As she said this, Dogamy flinched.

"Dogaressa, my wife. Doggo, my pal. What has happened to you two?" He asked a rhetorical question, fully knowing what had happened to them.

" **We've been hunting. Hunting for the cure,** " Dogaressa replied, with anger all over her face.

" **Which you stole from us, and now you're trying to keep another human for yourself!** " Doggo accused, before getting up onto two legs so that he looked bigger. Frisk turned to Dogamy in confusion, who simply returned the gaze with a guilty look before returning his attention onto the dogs.

"You don't want to do this. Once you cure yourself, you'll go mad. **Mad with guilt!** " He tried to reason.

" **Liar!** " She howled. " **And to think I cared about you enough to marry you. It makes me laugh!** "

Dogamy let out a hurt whine, seemingly unintentionally. In this short moment of weakness, Doggo dashed up to Dogamy and bit him around the neck, causing him to drop the axe. Dogamy let out a yelp of pain and used his paws to swipe up Doggo's torso. Doggo jumped back and looked down at a new scratch across his belly and chest. As it started to turn red, he growled.

Meanwhile, Dogamy held onto his new neck wound when Dogaressa pulled him onto the ground by the leg. Doggo joined in the fun by scratching his torso, just like Dogamy did to him. Dogamy fought back, finally getting up and taking swipe after swipe at his assailants. However, his leg was weak and after a few swipes, Dogaressa bit him on the leg, putting him out of the battle. The two hounds bit and scratched Frisk's protector violently. At that moment, Frisk couldn't stand it any longer. They couldn't just stand in shock. Promptly, they found their bow, knocked an arrow onto the bow string and shot the arrow.

It clipped Dogaressa's ear and went over Doggo's head, shaving some of his fur off of his head. The dogs certainly noticed them. Realizing Dogamy wasn't a threat to them anymore, they inched towards their prize. The dogs didn't even bother to talk as more dogs came from the forest behind them. Frisk realized now that they didn't have a good plan. This was a poorly executed plan. And they didn't even know if they had the option to reset!

Right before Dogaressa could lay a tooth or claw on Frisk, a light blue bone wall erupted in between her and Frisk. The dogs stood their frozen in shock. Though Dogaressa dodged out of the way, she was more scared of who the bone wall came from. Suddenly, more bones, blue and white, came down from a branch on a tree. The dogs immediately panicked, going in all directions and trying to avoid the incoming bones.

" **It's Blue Eye!** " Doggo shouted in fear. The dogs howled and barked as they ran towards the forest. In the mayhem, Dogamy, unable to stand without feeling pain, dragged himself towards Frisk. Surprisingly, none of the bones hit him or Frisk.

Finally, the dogs were gone. However, Dogamy still seemed to be fearful. "Go Frisk," he whispered. "I can't run. Go without me. Cure the others."

"I'm not going without you, Dogamy," Frisk replied stubbornly. Dogamy was about to protest when they suddenly said, "You're a good dog."

Despite the dire situation, Frisk knew he was happy, because his tail wagged back and forth in the snow upon hearing it. They brought him close to them and hugged his head next to their chest. Frisk didn't even bother to turn around when they heard someone jump from the tree branch into the snow. Footsteps came up from behind them, but they refused to look. Dogamy whimpered into their chest.

Suddenly, the stranger looked down at them. Slowly, Frisk looked up, expecting to see the face of an enemy. Instead, they saw the face of a friend. They smiled involuntarily. Dogamy quickly looked up when he saw this. His expression was one of awe as a red cape blew behind the stranger in the cold wind. No. Not a stranger. A friend. A great friend. A cheerful voice was a song to Frisk's ears, who was tired of hearing barking, howling, and snarling.

"Hello new friends! I believe you may need the assistance of a great and powerful friend!"


	8. The Resistance

If anything surprised Frisk about Papyrus, it was how he didn't seem any different from himself physically and mentally. The only differences were small and easy to look past. Papyrus looked physically tired, but that didn't mean he wasn't as bouncy or upbeat as normal. In fact, if anything, he seemed more upbeat. Surprisingly, he even tried telling jokes as they walked through the thick forest.

"Those dogs needed a little more backbone!" Papyrus shouted happily. "Nyeh heh heh! Another successful joke from the Great Papyrus!"

Frisk smiled as they helped Dogamy limp forward. He whined a bit with each painful step but didn't do anything else. Papyrus looked back and his smile disappeared. He stopped and thought for a while. It seemed like he was trying to remember something. Then, he peeked back up and, with both hands, created a small bone. Holding it out, he offered it to Dogamy with a sad smile. Dogamy picked up the bone in his mouth and stopped whining a bit, content with his bone.

"How much farther is it, Papyrus?" Frisk asked.

"Just a little ways, human! Then, you will go inside and meet Asgore and everyone else!" Papyrus replied cheerfully.

Frisk's blood went cold. "But... isn't Asgore the king? Those dogs came from the king!" They protested.

Papyrus turned back, his excited demeanor turning to one of concern. "I'm glad you know our history, human, but Asgore hasn't been king for decades. He was overthrown when the corruption started to spread."

"It's true," Dogamy whispered gruffly. "Asgore was overthrown by patient zero. He now runs the resistance in order to reclaim his kingdom and make humans legal again."

"Then... who is king?" Frisk asked.

Papyrus' head went down as if in shame. "He... No one likes to talk about who he used to be. Bad memories," Papyrus explained. "It's forbidden to talk about who the king used to be."

"Understood. I won't bring it up then," they answered respectfully.

"Good, because we're here!" Papyrus exclaimed, suddenly happy again. He made a motion towards a clearing and Frisk couldn't help but gasp.

It was a wooden cabin in the woods in simplest terms. In reality, it was more like a small fortress made out of wood. Monsters trained outside against dummies. All of the dummies could've been mistaken with just cotton piles because of how savagely they were attacked. Papyrus seemed to be the only one smiling in this place.

As they came into the clearing, there was a rabbit child hugging a rabbit doll. Her head was lowered as if in mourning as she whispered.

"Mommy is dust in the wind now."

Frisk felt pity for the girl and stood beside her. "Are you okay? Do you need a hug?" They asked kindly. The rabbit turned towards them, revealing two odd things. First, the rabbit girl wasn't crying. She seemed to have a neutral look as if she only felt fine. Secondly, her eyes were red and bloodshot. When she spoke, it sounded like she was dead inside.

"No. Why would I want a hug?" She asked, as if her mom's death was nothing more than a setback. By the way she said it, Frisk wondered if that was exactly how the rabbit felt. Frisk was quick to go back beside Dogamy and Papyrus.

"Undyne and Asgore will be happy to meet you! They always love guests!" Papyrus said happily.

" **PAPYRUS!** " As if on cue, Undyne came before the trio with a bored expression on her face. "You were supposed to check in two minutes ago."

"I'm sorry, Undyne. I just found a human and a non-rabid dog!" Papyrus explained enthusiastically.

Undyne looked at Dogamy and Frisk and Frisk was able to get a good look at Undyne. She still was missing an eye but now, she had scars all over her body. Her armor was the same as usual, but it was dusty. Suspiciously dusty. On some places, it looked like her armor was stained with ketchup. Frisk feared to think what else it might've been.

She looked over Dogamy first, looking specifically at his eyes. Then, she made an intrigued grunt. "This dog was the missing Beta in the rabid dog pack," she stated with a smirk. Dogamy whined as Frisk looked at him with a reassuring look. "He looks surprisingly corruption free. His eyes are not cloudy or glowing unusually. He's clean."

Undyne then looked at Frisk. She didn't look at their eyes, but she did stare, making Frisk feel uncomfortable. However, she then gave a toothy grin and gripped Papyrus on the shoulder. She shook him side to side playfully.

"Well, buddy, I think you did well. I'll put in a good word for you. Good job!" Undyne praised happily, just like her old self would've done. She looked at Dogamy and Frisk. "You two can go into the fortress."

Dogamy complied but Frisk went past Undyne before pausing. They were curious. In many ways, they were too curious for their own good. It was odd how Papyrus had lingered with Undyne. Looking back, they realized that Papyrus, though acting happy, was secretly terrified when she told him he was late. Something was up.

Suddenly, before they thought of following Dogamy, they heard a snap, as of a piece of wood was being broken. With it, there was a tiny muffled yelp from Papyrus. Turning back quickly, Frisk saw that Undyne's grip on Papyrus' shoulder was really tight. So tight, in fact, it might've broken his scapula. However, Papyrus didn't seem to protest. He merely whimpered a bit.

"And that's what you get for coming in 2 minutes late," Undyne warned before letting go of his shoulder. Papyrus was quick to put his other hand on the injured shoulder. He flinched when Undyne clapped him on the back. "See ya later, punk!"

"S-see you later, Undyne!" He shouted back, stuttering initially from the pain but perking up later on. Frisk was quick to turn around when Papyrus started to follow them. When Papyrus stood beside Frisk, however, they noticed that despite his confident posture and his grin, he was on the verge of tears as he continued to hold his shoulder and let out tiny gasps when he moved it.

"Are you okay, Papyrus?" Frisk asked quietly. They didn't dare mention what they saw, but they did hope Papyrus would tell them.

Papyrus smiled warmly at them. "I'm fine, human. Undyne can just be a bit rough, but she's always a great friend!"

"And she treats you like that?" Dogamy grumbled under his breath.

Papyrus didn't seem to hear him as he entered the cabin and opened the door. Surprisingly, the house looked so much like the old house Toriel had before the glitch. In front of them was the basement stairs. To the left was the dining room and kitchen. Papyrus, however, led them to the right. The right corridor was way longer than it was originally. It had many rooms and there was none under construction. He led them to a giant oak door at the end of the corridor.

Papyrus put his head to the door, as if trying to listen despite not physically having ears. Then, he knocked firmly. A gruff tenor voice came from the other side.

"Come in."

Papyrus opened the door and promptly spoke. "Asgore! I have fantabulous news!"

"Make it quick," Asgore responded, somewhat annoyed.

"We have a human!" Papyrus took a step to the side as he ushered Dogamy and Frisk into the study.

A giant desk was at the center of the room. Maps and weapons were on the walls. In the desk was Asgore, although he wasn't his usual jolly self. In most physical attributes, he looked the same. However, he had what seemed to be a permanent scowl on his face. He had scars all over his body from who knows what. They were sometimes akin to Toriel's scar, except for in his arms. Scratch marks covered his face and his eyes glowed slightly and his eyes were somewhat cloudy, two signs that Frisk now knew that meant he was corrupted.

He scanned Frisk carefully and did the same for Dogamy. Then, as if a human was no big deal, he waved his hand. Papyrus seemed to perk up at the sign.

"Thank you, Asgore!" He said before going towards the exit. "Come on, you two! I'll bring you to your room."

"But he didn't say anything," Frisk protested.

"That's a good sign! That means you're accepted!" Papyrus replied gleefully as he ushered them out and closed the door quietly behind him. Frisk couldn't help but feel cheated.

"I kind of wanted to speak with him," they admitted.

"Frisk, this world is different from Phinalhaven," Dogamy whispered with a friendly warning. "Corruption makes monsters start to think differently. To them, it's kill or be killed. Just because these monsters fight against that ideal doesn't mean they don't believe it deep down."

"So it really is different from before," Frisk concluded sadly. They should've known it would be different from their previous adventures in the Underground. However, it was still discouraging to go through a new world without knowing everything about it through trial and error.

"Yes. Very different," Dogamy agreed. "Welcome to the Underground."


	9. The Wrong Cure

_The rabid dogs howled at the sky as they approached their den. It was a cave in the side of a mountain and as they entered it, there were bones, dog treats, ripped cloth, and dried blood. Upon entering, the dogs growled at each other, a sign of their ferocious boredom._

 _Before any fighting could pursue, Doggo came to the entrance of the cave. Then, he got up to two feed and wiped the froth at his mouth. He barked, which silenced the others. Despite looking more like himself without the foam at the mouth, he didn't seem exactly... nice either. The other dogs followed suit by standing on two legs and wiping away their savagery for the time being._

 _"Get ready," Doggo's rough voice ordered. "The king is coming."_

 _"Correct that, Alpha. The king is here," corrected a familiar voice. The dogs went still as Doggo bowed and got out of the way of the king._

 _It was Asriel. The young boy was shorter than the dogs, and yet they feared him more than anything. Maybe it was because his eyes with black with white irises, a symbol of his power. Maybe it was our of respect. Most likely, however, it was because surrounding entire body, other than his hands, were green vines. He scanned the group of dogs with a stern look. Then, he put his hands behind his back and paced around the den._

 _"What have you called me for?" The young boy asked rather harshly._

 _"It's a human!" Dogaressa exclaimed. "The final human! A human in Snowdin to cure us!"_

 _Excitedly, the dogs gave in to savage enthusiasm as they barked viciously. "Freedom! Cure! Human!" They shouted, while growling at each other and howling._

 _Asriel's face was turned away from them, but when he put up a hand, the dogs silenced themselves. When he turned, his eyes were different. They were spring green eyes full of pain and sadness. It was the Asriel Frisk used to know._

 _"A human? What did they look like?" He asked, more kinder than before._

 _"They smelled like the human scum they were!" Doggo responded, causing the other dogs to laugh._

 _"They wore a striped sweater. It was gold and white," Dogaressa added._

 _"Well, why didn't you get them?" Asriel asked, causing the dogs to whine._

 _"It was Blue Eye. He came after us! We could've died," Lesser Dog explained._

 _"They had help too. Dogamy, one of our own, who betrayed us," Dogaressa replied, on the edge of a growl. "He helped them."_

 _"Didn't I say you were to rid us of Dogamy?" Asriel said, closing his eyes._

 _"We tried, but his scent led us to the Ruins. Nothing can get past there," Greater Dog answered._

 _"I ordered you to retrieve any human that comes!" Asriel's voice started to rise in volume. His eyes opened and once again, they were black and white. "Are you going to retrieve them, or am I going to have to teach you how things work around here?"_

 _"No no! King, please. Give us time. We'll track them," Dogaressa pleaded._

 _"Stop begging!" Asriel shouted unhappily. "I have no pity left to spare. If you can't feel much love, what makes you think I can feel more love than you? You have two days, and if you fail me again, I'll take care of them myself! Understand?!"_

 _The dogs whined in submission, their tails between their legs. Satisfied, Asriel left without saying anything and fled into the shadows, where he somehow managed to melt into shadow. Doggo was the first to speak._

 _"Go! What are you waiting for?!" With that, the dogs howled, dropped to all fours, and ran off into the woods._

Frisk woke up with a start. Their head throbbed as they sat up. They were in a small room. They were sleeping in the one bed in the room, while Dogamy slept at their feet. However, he was must have woken up from Frisk's sudden jolt, because he sat up at the foot of the bed and looked at them.

"What's wrong, kid?" He asked gently. Compared to the gruff voices Frisk had heard, Dogamy's voice was more kind and smooth. More sophisticated. His eyes were full of concern as he stared at the young human.

"It's the dogs," they murmured.

"What about them?" Dogamy replied, unsure what else to ask.

"You used to be one of them."

Dogamy's head lowered in shame. "Yeah, kid. I was."

"But you cured yourself. How?"

He looked at his hands and frowned, unable to look up at Frisk. Frisk moved closer to him, trying to show that they would understand and comfort him. Upon seeing this, Dogamy reluctantly spoke.

"The pack was given strict orders to give any human souls to the king. Though it held the cure, if the king broke the barrier, it would free us all, allowing us to take more human souls and cure ourselves."

"Being corrupted is terrible, Frisk. You start to lose yourself. It's subtle, at first. I bet most of the Resistance think they aren't infected, but they are. Then, before you know it, you can't look yourself in the mirror anymore. You forget the most important thing."

"And what is that?" Frisk asked, sadly.

"Love," Dogamy replied. "When you're corrupted, you are still yourself in the beginning. You just forget how to love and how to feel love. The worst comes out of you when you don't feel anything for anyone. It affects everyone differently. Us, dogs... well, without love, we aren't anyone's friend. It's kill or be killed."

"It's painful to live that way. That's why I'm not corrupted anymore. I hated losing my love for Dogaressa... I had to get it back. We had already given 6 human souls to the king. When the seventh human fell, me... my corrupted self thought the King could wait until one more human fell down. I caught the human and... and... I took their soul without hesitation."

Dogamy whined, tears coming his eyes but not spilling over. Frisk merely listened as best they could. They were partially in shock about the corruption. They were becoming Floweys. This corruption made everyone into Flowey versions of themselves. It started to make sense. However, Dogamy wasn't done with his tale.

"When I regained my compassion and love, I immediately regretted it. I didn't even know the kid. I killed her without caring who she was. I ran away from my pack and tried to survive the same way I did when I was corrupted but... I couldn't. It was too hard to live with the guilt. I don't remember how, but I somehow came to the entrance of Phinalhaven. I scratched at the door and at myself in order to stop the guilt."

"That's when she spoke. It was Toriel. She asked me questions and I answered them honestly. After hearing I killed a child she knew personally, she reluctantly let me in. She hated me for decades, kid. It wasn't until recently did she promote me to general. I tried to repay my debt to her and live as best I could. Toriel explained how she survived the first wave of corruption along with everyone else in Phinalhaven and how she had tried to prevent a situation like... well, me from happening."

Frisk wasn't shocked at all. It was heartbreaking to know that their friend had been corrupted and taken a human soul, but after going through the timeline multiple times, they were used to monsters taking human souls, gaining love, and then regretting everything. However, that didn't stop them from petting Dogamy's head.

Just like a dog, he seemed to like it. It made sense, because he was a dog. Then, they hugged him and held him close. "I forgive you," they reassured. "If it weren't for you, they would've gotten out of here and killed every human on Earth. You regret your decisions, so it is only right that you should be forgiven, even if Mom didn't."

Dogamy was silent for bit. Then, he spoke. "Thank you, Frisk. Thank you..."

They held onto him and kissed his forehead. "I promise, we'll bring your wife back. I swear..."

 _*You are filled with RESPONSIBILITY!_


	10. Hope

**A/N Hey guys! So, after this chapter, I'm taking a break to work on my other stories. I've been neglecting them and I want to finish a story at some point. I promise I won't leave forever. Pinky promise!**

Frisk continued to stay up and watch Dogamy as he fell asleep. They continued to pet him. It was amazing that everything had only happened in one day. Dogamy deserved the sleep after running so far and unloading his emotional baggage. However, Frisk soon heard an uncanny noise from the hallway outside their room. It was hard to mistake, and to be quite honest, they didn't know the meaning of the phrase until they heard the noise.

It was the trousle of bones.

Accompanying the noise was the sound of sobbing. It was unbearable for Frisk. They had to comfort Papyrus, no doubt. Careful not to move their sleeping companion too much, they snuck out of bed and tiptoed to the door. They put their ear to it. Nothing. Papyrus wasn't directly in front of their door anymore. They cracked the door open to find the hallways were empty. It was odd to say the least. Why would a highly fortified place like this not have guards in every hall?

Despite this, Frisk slipped into the corridor and quietly rushed to towards the noise, pausing at the corner to peer around. Still no guards, but they did catch a glimpse of a red scarf going down the first corridor on the left. Quickly, they followed it until they saw Papyrus slip into a door and close it. When Frisk approached the door, they realized it was Papyrus' quarters. His room. What was odd was that the door wasn't decorated. No caution tape. Girls were allowed. Boys were allowed. Papyrus was still allowed. There was nothing on it. For some reason, it worried Frisk.

They knocked softly on the door. They waited and waited. After a while, it grew unsettling. Frisk then decided to slip into the room. There was no race car bed. No computer. No closet and no skeletons in that hypothetical closet. Only a plain bed. And sitting in the middle of the floor was Papyrus, holding his head and making quiet whimpers. Green magic surrounded his hands. He didn't seem to notice Frisk. They approached him slowly until they were within arms reach. Then, they spoke.

"Papyrus?" They said, meekly. Papyrus abruptly turned around with a surprised look on his face, causing Frisk to gasp.

In the green light, Frisk could see Papyrus' skull was cracked. The cracks surrounded his right eye socket. However, upon noticing this, Frisk also noticed that his arms were just as cracked. In fact, his whole body seemed weak. Cracked and weak.

"Human," Papyrus replied softly, wiping tears from his eyes as if to hide the pain. "I didn't hear you come in."

He smiled, but it was clearly faked. "Papyrus, what happened?" They asked softly.

He put up a hand and waved it back and forth, as if to wave away their concerns. "I-it's nothing, human. Undyne and I were just training. I want to be a royal guard when Asgore becomes king again, y'know."

"That's from Undyne?!" Frisk restated, alarmed.

"It's nothing! Human, this is what monsters do! We b-break each other so we can build ourselves back up. I-I mean, just... just because I don't understand it... doesn't mean it's not..." Papyrus' smile dropped as tears entered his eyes, threatening to spill over.

"It... it doesn't matter that Undyne's hurting me. It doesn't matter that she hurts me more when she's frustrated. It's not like I feel... unappreciated... or unloved... I just have to get used to it if I live in this world... The corruption's going to take away my love at some point anyways..." Papyrus muttered under his voice, forgetting that Frisk was there.

"At some points, I wonder if I should even give it the chance to happen... What if I permanently left this world? Would anyone miss me?" he continued, tears running down his face. Frisk felt tears on their cheeks too.

They loved Papyrus. They loved Papyrus as much as they loved any of their friends, but to see Papyrus suffering so much... Frisk had to do something. Without any hesitation, they hugged Papyrus. He seemed to be taken aback as he wiped tears away and gave a small smile.

"What's this for, human?" He asked in shock.

"I know you can't feel love right now, so I'm going to tell you it. I love you, Papyrus. You are the best Royal Guard in existence," they started saying. "I love your puzzles and spaghetti and your fashion choices. I love you, and I would cry for days if you never came back. I would miss you. I would rather die than let you leave."

Papyrus was silent for a while. "W-when my brother was around, he told me someone like you would come around. My brother - Sans was his name - he was really smart. When he told me monsters were hurting each other... I-I didn't believe him. He told me not to listen to King Asriel..."

Asriel's name made Frisk's blood run cold. They could believe that Flowey would be a villain of some kind, someone to be feared, but Asriel? They would've laughed if it weren't true. Papyrus let out whimpers, bringing Frisk back to listen to him.

"S-Sans... Oh Sans! It's all my fault!" Papyrus explained.

Frisk put a hand on his shoulder and suddenly, they weren't in the room anymore. Their golden flower crown glowed as they suddenly were transported to Sans and Papyrus' house. However, it was like a flashback. Actually, that's exactly what it was, for Papyrus and Sans stood near the front door. However, they both looked fearful. Frisk had never seen Sans so driven by fear. His eye sockets were wide.

 _The two skeletons stood in front of the door. It sounded as if a mob were at their door. A mob that was powerful, and yet just as scared and worried as they were. However, the mob's tone changed. It changed from pleas to open the door to demands for the skeleton's dust. The corruption was spreading through the crowd quite fast. Without love, they wished revenge on the ones who didn't let them inside. They tried to knock the door down._

 _"Maybe we can reason with them?" Papyrus suggested, though he seemed unsure about it. Sans looked at his brother, clearly worried about his younger brother's well-being. An idea seemed to pop into Sans' head, but it seemed as though he didn't want to. He seemed to conflicted for a bit. Then, he sighed._

 _"yeah. i'll go outside and reason with them," he replied, causing Papyrus to give a small smile. "however, you are to not open this door for any reason. only open for me or undyne or asgore, understand?"_

 _Papyrus looked confused for a second before nodding. Sans sighed sadly. "alright. i'm gonna take a shortcut. follow what i said to the dot. don't open this door!"_

 _Before he could protest, Sans was gone. Papyrus stood near the door, trying to keep the mob from getting in. Under his breath, he repeated his instructions. That's when he first heard it. The sound of injury. The scream of pain. Then, the aftermath. The screams. The attacks. The knocking on the door. Papyrus stood there, his eyes wide as he was forced to listen. He didn't dare look out. He didn't dare open the door. He was following orders, but at that moment, he wondered if his brother was killed or was killing. Deep down, he didn't want to know._

 _What was worse was when there was silence. No one was knocking on the door. No one was screaming. There was no talking. Only silence. Papyrus waited there, tears in his eyes before calling out to whoever might hear him beyond the door. "Hello? Sans? Grillby? Rabbit lady? Anybody?"_

But nobody came. _Upon realizing this, Papyrus slid down the door into a sitting position. Tears flowed like rivers, but he was silent. He only whimpered when he thought of Sans or the many people who must've been dusted beyond his door. He put his hands over his eyes, refusing to see anything. This had to be a dream. It just had to be..._

"Then, Undyne found me..." Papyrus said between sobs, bringing Frisk back from the vision. They marveled at their golden flower crown for a while before listening to Papyrus yet again. "She said everything was safe... I opened the door and... D-dust. Dust everywhere."

"Asgore said we were lucky, since we were immune to the corruption, but I don't think that's true, human. I feel different. I don't feel love as much as I used to. Undyne isn't like who she once was. None of us are. I'm just honest enough to say it. I just think the corruption affected us slowly, so that we could barely notice it. With the others who were affected quickly... well, most of them... are gone... t-they... k-k... each other..." He could barely say the last part.

"P-please, human... Frisk... help us... We're getting sicker everyday... I can't live without love! Without... without... anyone... to love me..."

Frisk held Papyrus tight in their grasp. They cried with Papyrus, empathy causing it to happen. Their soul beat heavily in their heart. This was all their fault, it seemed to say. Take responsibility for your actions and fix it. Frisk barely even noticed amidst her emotional pain that one of the petals of her golden flowers fell onto Papyrus.

* _A symbol of life, rebirth, and renewal after a cold winter._


End file.
